Frequently asked questions

What is a crown roast of lamb?

The dramatic presentation for this roast is created by standing two racks of lamb chops on their ends and tying them together with butcher’s twine. Ask your butcher to clean the bones on the lamb chops and attach them to form a crown roast.

Make ahead

The rice can be made a day ahead of time. Reheat it, covered, in the oven after stuffing the center of the crown roast.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

We loved that roasting the lamb directly on a roasting pan instead of in a roasting rack made the bottom seared and browned from being in contact with the baking dish.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small (5-ounce) yellow onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 fresh bay leaf
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups long grain rice (10 ounces), rinsed well
1/2 cup (3 ounces) golden raisins
1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) dried currants
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (2 1/2- to 3 1/2-pound) lamb crown roast (about 12 to 16 ribs)
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Flaky sea salt

Directions

Heat the oven to 325°F. Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high, add onions;cook, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add almonds, turmeric, cumin, and bay leaf; cook, stirring often, until the almonds are browned and the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high. Stir in the rice, raisins, and currants. Reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered and undisturbed, until the rice is cooked through and all of the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, keeping the pot covered for at least 10 minutes (you should have 6 cups of rice).
Meanwhile, drizzle olive oil all over the inside and outside of the crown roast, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper on all sides. Wrap the tips of the ribs in foil. Place the crown in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast until the lamb registers 110°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop, about 35 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven and increase the temperature to 450°F.
While the lamb roasts, fluff the rice and add it to a large bowl. Add the parsley and toss to combine. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste. Stuff 2 cups of the jeweled rice into the cavity of the par-roasted crown roast and spoon the pan juices on top of the jeweled rice. Cover the remaining jeweled rice to keep warm. (If there are no pan juices and the rice seems dry, dot the top with butter or drizzle with some chicken stock, or both). Return the roast to the oven and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice forms a crust on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb chop registers 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium. Let the lamb rest for 15 minutes before carving. Top sliced lamb chops with flaky sea salt then serve with remaining jeweled rice on the side.